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On the Keeping of Time
The Valion Week Each 6 day week consists of 5 working days and 1 day of rest. Each 10 week month generally is commonly celebrated with an opening holiday and an exchange of small traditional gifts. The “summer” and “winter” solstices are widely celebrated as major holidays, though regionally the flavor of these festivities may vary greatly. For instance, in the human-dominated areas of the western regions, the winter solstice is associated with Kelemvor, god of death, and celebrations focus more on gratefulness for life, the avoidance of death, and the doing of deeds Kelemvor would deem balanced and just. Gifts would generally be objects related to the natural sustaining of life (eg: A basket of seasonal food and beverage, a cord of chopped firewood, or regionally appropriate garments) and examples of deeds might include the extension of debt repayments, serving or housing the poor for a period of time, and in particular instances, the pardoning or mitigating of sentences related to minor crimes and those related to survival (eg: the man who stole bread to feed his family the month before may have his sentenced commuted). The winter solstice in the elven-dominated areas of eastern Valion are associated with Sehanine Moonbow, not due to her station as the elven goddess of knowledge, but by her position as watchman of the seasons, usher of souls as patron of elven midwives, and the thought that she stands beside dying elves, greeting their departing spirits and setting them on the path to Arvandor. Due to this distinction, the winter solstice in regions such as Jides is a more optimistic affair, focusing on the joy the elves find in knowing they are likely to meet again, and the gracious role Sehanine plays in the aging, Transcendence, death, and eventual rebirth of elven souls. Gifts more commonly take the form of adventures, dinners, gatherings of visual art, music, dancing, and poetry. Deeds might include unusually emotional letters of appreciation to close companions, the taking on of an apprentice, or more rarely, the dedication of the next year to the service of another, in honor of Sehanine’s role as Corellon’s steadfast companion. Days of the Week Waukeen – Goddin – Garl – Tymor – Gond – Astar Months of the Year Vanya: The Ice Wind – Winter Solstice to Blood Moon Shara: The Blooming – Blood Moon to Silvan Moon (Vernal Equinox) Silvestre: The Flourishing – Silvan Moon to Summer Solstice Chaunea: The Bountiful – Summer Solstice to Life Moon Morad: The Striving – Life Moon to Grey Moon (Autumnal Equinox) Talona: The Fury – Grey Moon to Winter Solstice While it is recognized across the continent as the year 453, there is a difference in the post annotation. Among the majority of races, the year is 453 EA (Ex Animus -- “From the mind/spirit” of the divine racial tribune). The term itself is widely accepted to refer to the moment or short period of the creation of the material plane and its early inhabitants from the will of the prime deities. There is some debate among a handful of gnomish and human historians and linguists whether or not the term was coined from the idea of “from” mind/spirit, or more accurately “out of” mind/spirit. The elves, by contrast, use the suffix NLL -- Nuvo Lux Lucis (New Light of Day). Responses to inquiries regarding this racially specific difference in designation revolve around the archaic elven phrase “terra relinquo” -- the abandoned land.